Chuhak & Tecson to help 'can' hunger at Greater Chicago Food Depository

For the second year in a row, attorneys and staff at Chuhak & Tecson, P.C., are coming together in a large-scale group effort to help make a difference in the Chicago community.

On Wednesday, June 26, the firm will do a half-day soft close so employees can pack boxes at the Greater Chicago Food Depository. Feeding 678,000 Cook County residents annually, the agency relies on volunteers to repackage bulk products for shipment to a network of local food pantries, soup kitchens and shelters.

“Participating last year was not only rewarding for its value to the community, but also built camaraderie within the firm,” said Adam Moreland, a principal at Chuhak & Tecson and a member of the firm’s management committee.

“They turned it into a competition,” Moreland said. “One group from the firm packed sausages, and one group packed pasta. They calculated how many boxes or pounds each group processed, and there was a winner. I was on Team Pasta, and it was a lot of fun.”

With attorneys and staff working together in an out-of-office environment, volunteering at the food depository serves as a good team-building exercise, he said, and helps employees from various groups throughout the firm get to know each other better.

In addition, it aligns with the firm’s ongoing commitment to bettering the Chicagoland area through community service.

“We are grateful that employees from Chuhak & Tecson are giving their time to assist the Greater Chicago Food Depository’s mission and truly make a difference in the fight against hunger,” said Angel La Luz, the charity’s director of volunteer engagement. “Volunteers are essential to feeding hungry people in our community and because of Chuhak & Tecson, more people will eat today.”

In 2012, the food depository distributed 64 million pounds of fresh produce, dairy products, meats and nonperishable foods. That amount is equivalent to an astonishing 134,800 meals per day.

“It’s such an amazing endeavor to connect the entire city in support of a cause I think most people can agree is worthwhile: feeding the hungry,” Moreland stated.

A half-day of packing food at Greater Chicago Food Depository was the largest of 25 service projects Chuhak & Tecson participated in last year in honor of its silver anniversary. One year after “25 Ways to Give Back,” there was great interest in a repeat visit, Moreland said.

“Some of our other endeavors last year were on a smaller scale, but the food depository can handle large numbers. It’s set up to work with groups that want to contribute to the enhancement and growth of the community,” he said, “allowing our firm and our employees to partner together on something meaningful to all of us. We’re looking forward to continuing that this year and in the future.”